The World Reference Center for Arboviruses is a part of the Yale Arbovirus Research Unit. It is involved in both service and research activities of public health and medical importance. The specific activities of the Reference Center and principal objectives of this project includes the following: identification and characterization of arboviruses submitted from laboratories throughout the world; serologic investigation of disease outbreaks and diagnosis of suspected arboviral infections; preparation, certification and free distribution of arboviral diagnostic reagents; development of new techniques for the diagnosis of arboviral infections; and training professional and technical personnel from any region of the world in arbovirus techniques. The methodology to be used includes standard serologic techniques for virus identification and antibody detection as well as electron microscopy, biological studies of arbovirus behavior in insects, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, use of nucleic acid probes and RNA-RNA hybridization, production of hybridomas and monoclonal antibodies, and development of anti-idiotype diagnostic reagents.